The scenic Pacific Coast Highway meanders past urban beaches, winds through friendly beach towns and snakes along steep, stunning cliffs overlooking the ocean.
It's definitely a family-friendly adventure drive, but are you prepped for the journey? See how well you could navigate your way through this dream road trip.
The PCH is 123 miles long and runs up the coast of California, from Orange to Mendocino County.
At least five songs entitled "Pacific Coast Highway" have been published over the years.
The Bixby Creek Bridge is so celebrated the U.S. Postal Service commemorated it with a stamp in 2010.
The Sequoia sempervirens, or coastal redwood, is the tallest tree in the world.
The Monterey Bay Aquarium attracts almost two million visitors annually.
Mother Nature has occasionally shaken things up in those areas with hairpin turns over the Pacific near Big Sur and in the steep cliffs called Devil's Slide, south of San Francisco.
All of the above. Santa Cruz caters to tourists and residents alike.
The highway bypasses the Devil's Slide area south of San Francisco, then leads you straight across the graceful Golden Gate Bridge.
This charming town is a low-lying burg of about 350 residents.
Only the section near Big Sur has been awarded National Scenic Byway status.
Fess up, you majored in PCH! You know all the best eateries along the route, which turnouts offer the most spectacular views and what time of year is best for spotting the elephant seals. You never get tired of driving this road though, because you know those views never get old.
You know it's gauche to call it the PCH around your NorCal friends (who refer to the route as Highway 1). No one has to tell you that driving North to South is preferable, but you still travel the route with one hand on the steering wheel and the other grasping a guidebook.
You just discovered that the PCH is the Yellow Brick Road of California, and you're hungry to learn more about this historic, scenic thoroughfare. A long, leisurely drive along the route is what you need, with plenty of stops for asking questions. Make sure your GPS is primed before starting the journey.